Daughter of Destiny

by HC Playa

  Katarina left the med bay and went to a smaller room across the corridor outfitted as an exercise facility. It took her several minutes, but she managed to figure out the alien version of a treadmill. She hoped exercise would quiet her mind and expel her anxiety.

  "Seven days and seven nights of wonder. The water's rising and I'm sinking under. I think I fell in love with the eighth world wonder...." She sang one of her mother's favorite songs. She nearly forgot how much she loved singing with her mother when she was very small.

  She walked briskly on the treadmill. Up until about five months she managed a jogging pace, but she couldn't handle more than a brisk walk now. Unfortunately the exercise didn't banish the heavy looming feeling that something waited right around the corner, ready to throw another grenade into her life.

  Private Driglok walked in and Katarina stopped singing mid-word. "Yes?"

  "There is an incoming message for you from Earth."

  "Thank you." She turned off the treadmill, grabbed a towel and a pouch of water. She followed him to the cockpit, noticing that he didn’t even glance at the closed med bay doors. When they entered, she addressed the commander, "Driglok says there is a message for me."

  Commander Vrion handed Katarina a memory card. "It's from your sister. I could run the translator program, but I presume that you can translate it more accurately."

  It took Katarina a moment to realize Vrion's motive. He meant to occupy her. Maybe it was altruistic and he thought it would make her feel better, or perhaps he hoped she wouldn't consider the implications of remaining on course to Yopmar.

  She glanced down at it to make sure she could operate it. The knowledge popped into her head so she smiled at Vrion. "Thank you. I’ll bring you the translated copy as soon as I’m finished."

  Katarina took the memory card back to her bunk for lack of any better place to read it. She secured her privacy curtain and leaned back to read the message:

  Kat,

  Robert and I got the info you sent. We’ll do our best to prep on this end, but any help from out there would be welcome. We have a press conference scheduled for tomorrow. We’ll keep you updated.

  Zane’s identity and your relationship is going to be public now, Kat. Sorry, but we can’t see any way around that. Have you found Zane yet? Y’all are in our prayers. Take it easy as much as you can.

  Love,

  Naia and Robert.

  P.S. I tried calling the number. It's a pub in Ireland and I couldn't understand a blasted word the owner said.

  Katarina laughed as she imagined Naia with her thick southern twang trying to puzzle out a thick Irish brogue. She reread the letter and sighed. Katarina let the memory card fall to her lap. Every time she managed to readjust, reality kept turning her on her head. When had a normal boring life become nothing more than a wistful dream? Had she always been destined for this, or was it her choices that brought her here? The enormity of it all weighed on her, and that ominous cloud hanging over her grew bigger and darker. She pressed her fingers to either side of her head where a headache lurked, ready to pounce. She debated going to the med bay again, but didn't know if she could tolerate watching Zane lie there so still. As she picked up the card again she said a silent prayer. Please let Zane come back from wherever he went inside his head.

  Chapter 15

  "FOOLS!" Karglock's bellow echoed through the doorway and a moment later his voice yelled over the comm, "ROTVRAOQ!"

  Rotvraoq forced his shoulders to stoop and his eyes to take on a docile expression before entering Karglock’s suite. Rotvraoq moved with graced despite his quick pace and the slouched posture he affected. So far, Karglock had yet to see through the facade.

  Rotvraoq flicked a pitying glance to the female on the bed. She laid still and mute, no longer concerned with reality. She wouldn't live long enough to see freedom. Only a step higher than her, a member of the servant caste, Rotraoq loathed Karglock and his ilk, but if events played out fortuitously, no more slaves or servants would suffer needlessly.

  He bowed at the waist. "Yes, your highness?"

  "How many ships did we leave on Drudidia III?"

  "We left one squad of single pilot fighters, one squad of reconnaissance ships, one transport ship, and one light duty freighter, sir."

  "Were they new or old models?"

  "The transport ship is only a year old, but the other ships are much older models, sir."

  "That’s not much of a loss." He tapped his flexed talons on the duratanium desk. "Send an order to Drudidia III for the best two pilots in the compound to take the transport ship to Dreadmog. Have them take food or some such thing so they easily pass IGCF inspectors. We may need the ship, but the others can stay on Drudidia III. Let IGCF have them."

  "Yes, your majesty."

  "Dismissed."

  After turning around, Rotvraoq spared a disgusted look at the waste of wealth displayed in the room. Enough soft green and gold fabric decorated the walls to clothe an entire village. The platinum and gold embellishments on his furniture could buy enough food for that same village for a six lunar cycles, perhaps more. Rotvraoq waited to hiss until the door closed behind him. Karglock's time grew shorter than the fool knew. He had plans of his own to attend, none of which included following Karglock's orders.

  ***

  Naia awoke with a hand over her mouth and a whispered command. "Homeland Security. Get out of bed. You're coming with us. You can get dressed, but make a move we don't like and we will shoot you. No lights." She nodded her head. The shadow released her and stepped back. She glanced at Robert and held her breath until the figure over him also stepped back.

  "What the fuck is this? Where's your goddamn warrant?" Robert said.

  A laser site focused on Robert's chest and Naia grabbed the covers to keep her trembling hands still.

  "Homeland Security intercepted two unauthorized transmissions; one received and one sent to an as yet unidentified source beyond this planet. This is a matter of national and global security and as such, no warrant is required."

  "Normally I'd say fuck that bullshit. However, since I have no desire to be shot and there's a bigger threat here than y'all walking all over my civil liberties, I'll cooperate."

  The laser site blinked off, but she suspected a less obvious weapon pointed in their direction under the cover of darkness.

  She coughed. "Uhm. Pardon, but I'm rather naked under here."

  The shadow closest to her walked over to the rocking chair in the corner, snatched up her robe and flung it in her direction.

  "Hurry up. We haven't got all night."

  Robert mumbled a curse, but got out of bed using slow obvious movements. Naia did the same after donning the robe. She grabbed her clothes from the day before and wiggled into them as best as she could without flashing anyone. Granted they wouldn't see much in the dark, but enough random men saw her naked as a kid. She couldn't be cavalier about her nudity. Thinking about the two strange men in the same room with her with just a robe and darkness between them set her hands shaking and her breath coming too fast.

  "Lady, if you don't get a move on, I'll drag your naked ass out of here."

  The man closed the distance between them and the past came rushing back. She shrieked and folded up into a ball on the floor.

  "What the hell?"

  "Get the fuck away from my wife."

  Robert's gentle arms enfolded her and chased away the nightmares of the past. "Shh. It's all right, baby. I'm here. No one will hurt you."

  "Look up her damn file and you'll figure out what the fuck her problem is," Robert growled. His body vibrated with anger, but the hand that rubbed her back remained gentle. With Robert's assistance Naia got to her feet. She let him aid her in pulling her sweater over her head. Her shaking hand couldn't manage the button on her jeans so he fastened it for her. His quiet reassuring patience comforted her as it had for so many years. She took a deep breath and forced her panic down. Robert took her hand in his and led her to the c
loset.

  Out of the corner of her eye, the dull light of a handheld computer flashed and the black clad figure let out a low stream of curses. The light winked out as he pocketed the computer. "Listen, ma'am. I apologize we freaked you out. That was not our intention. You and your husband look like solid citizens, but you're mixed up in something and the brass wants answers."

  Naia slipped her feet into sneakers, ones with self-adjusting compression flaps so she didn't have to fumble with laces, zippers, or anything. "I understand. Robert, get the computer. That'll give them the answers they want."

  Robert put his hand on the biometric lock on their safe inside the closet. The click of a safety deactivating right by her ear made Naia jump back. She ran smack into the door jamb, hitting her head hard enough to see stars.

  "Do that very carefully, Mr. Sheffield."

  In slow motion, Robert opened the safe door, allowing the soldier to see that no weapon sat concealed in its depths. The stack of papers, small stash of cash and jewelry, and the computer reassured him and the safety clicked into place again.

  Robert retrieved the computer and held it out to the men. "You can have it, but, seeing as I encrypted the information on there, you'll need my help to access it."

  "Fine by us. Come on. We've wasted enough time." The faint green illumination cast by the safe's lock screen showed a young Caucasian man with a scowl etched into his face.

  Naia waited for Robert to take her hand. One soldier in front of them and the other behind, they headed to the front door. The atrium light she always left on did not cast its comforting glow.

  Robert stopped as the point solider put his hand on the front door to open it.

  "Before I walk out that door, I want to see I.D. and badges. You could be terrorists posing as government officials for all we know."

  A moment of silence passed and then the atrium light flipped on, momentarily blinding her. Both men flashed badges and identification, but they could have been homemade for all she knew.

  "How am I supposed to know that's real?" Naia asked.

  "They're real," Robert said.

  "How--?"

  "My security classification status is higher than either of these two guys."

  The man at the door blushed at Robert's condescending tone. Whether from anger or embarrassment, Naia didn't know, but thought maybe from the former. "Uh, thanks."

  The man behind them said, "I’m Agent Graves. That’s Agent Wilson." Agent Graves flipped the switch on the wall, circumventing the voice protocols. The atrium light went out again and Wilson opened the front door to the chilly autumn night. Halfway down the walkway, two other agents joined them. They all got into the rear of a black hover van. A myriad of surveillance equipment and weapons crowded the back of the van.

  Naia took a seat beside Robert on a bench while the two agents they hadn’t been introduced to climbed into the front. Naia tried not to let her gaze rest on the impressive cache of weapons, but it proved difficult. They could wage a small war with the amount of firepower in the van. As usual, Robert zeroed in on the techno gadgets, so she made it her job to study the agents. The driver was a young wiry Asian. He remained silent with his eyes darting back and forth from the road to a small dashboard radar screen. The Caucasian woman in the front passenger seat, her dark hair tucked into a black baseball cap, looked about thirty to thirty-five years old. With swift, confident motions she took out a device and entered a series of typed commands. In a voice that carried a slight mid-west accent, she pitched her voice toward the rear of the van. "All clear, sir. Any eyes or ears in the area are deaf and blind."

  "Good," Agent Graves said.

  The van rocked gently as it lifted into the air. Naia looked at Graves who relaxed and leaned back on the bench seat opposite them.

  He met her look and she glanced away, finding it difficult to meet his penetrating eyes. She suspected he read her file as Robert suggested. The pity aimed her way made her uneasy. Usually it pissed her off, but after totally losing it in front of the man, she couldn't summon any anger.

  The way the man sat without moving a single muscle, the stare that assessed everything, reminding her of Zane. She found herself wondering if Zane did things like this.

  "How long have you been in contact with extraterrestrials?"

  Wow. Talk about getting to the point. Naia swallowed. "Define contact."

  "No bullshitting lady. You know what I mean."

  "Don't answer him, Naia."

  Graves pointed his gun at Robert and his lids lowered into a mean looking stare. "I'm sure I didn't hear you right."

  "Yeah, you did. No offense, Agent Graves, but you don't have the clearance to hear any of what we have to say. We'll be happy to talk to your superiors, but until then we'll just have a nice quiet ride."

  After a long minute Graves huffed out a breath. "Orders are to transport you to a secure location. You're right, I don't have clearance and I wasn't asked to question you, but you'll understand if I'm curious as to when the fuck you met aliens. Nothing's showed on radar, although SETI said something about odd EM readings."

  Robert laughed. "SETI wouldn't have even noticed the transmissions if I had thought to route and encrypt through the damn satellites instead of a straight beam into space. You got lucky. Thing is, it's actually a good thing I forgot, because there's a huge ass problem that needs government attention ASAP. Turns out we didn't have to track you down; you got in touch with us. Very handy."

  Graves harrumphed and the rest of the trip passed in tense silence with Naia snuggled next to Robert as the business end of a gun kept them in its sights.

  Chapter 16

  Zane wandered in a thick mist for ages. He could not discern any landscape or anchor of any kind to the real world. The last thing he recalled was overwhelming pain unlike any he ever imagined and made the injuries he suffered in the past pale in comparison. A pale light far above him provided the only relief to the pervasive mist.

  Am I dead?

  A couple of times he attempted to approach the light, but something weighed him down like trying to jump on a gravity heavy planet. When he managed to get a small bit closer, pain slammed into him like a giant mecha crushing him in a duratanium fist.

  On second thought, maybe I should forget the light.

  Several times he tried to let go, to just drift in the mist. At one point the light faded to a tiny pinprick and he felt himself drifting, expanding, but then something yanked hard and pulled him back with a vengeance. The pain swamped him until he wept and when the light drifted to that taunting distance again, letting the pain fade, he stopped fighting.

  For a long while, or perhaps only a short time, as nothing existed with which to measure its passage, Zane thought of nothing. Then Katarina's face intruded upon his listless state. At first, he pushed all thoughts of her away. The pain of her grief hurt beyond any measure of his physical pain. She refused to be set aside. Time and again her image whispered around him like a specter of his guilt for failing her. In spite of himself, his longing made him reach out to the specter again and again. In a tortuous silent dance she appeared, he reached for her and she disappeared again. Not until the light bathed him in warmth did he realize she had drawn him closer to the light. In the moment that he expected to be swamped by pain, the bond they shared pulled him from that place of mist, encompassing him with her love.

  His eyes snapped open as consciousness rushed in. The hard surface beneath him at first led Zane to think he lay on the floor of his cell, but as his vision cleared, he rolled over and sat up. He spent plenty of time in IGC medical bays to recognize one when he saw it. He reached down and disconnected the intravenous line inserted in his arm. What happened? He searched his mind for memories buried beneath the trauma of his last ordeal, but nothing coherent surfaced.

  He sensed Katarina nearby as surely as he knew that if he tried to stand he’d collapse to the floor. Zane managed to pull himself to the edge of the exam table, but his vision grayed in and out
. Dull aches answered his efforts from every part of his body. The nearest comm console sat across the room, much too far away. Not to mention, if IGC planned to toss him in the brig as soon as he woke up, he didn't want to alert them to his conscious state.

  "Katarina! Where are you?"

  As soon as he uttered the thought the med bay door whooshed open and Katarina ran through the doorway. She flew into his outstretched arms, kissing his mouth, his face, laughing and crying all at once. She tried to pull away after a minute, but Zane clamped his arms around her. "You aren’t going anywhere."

  Katarina laughed and kissed him again. The ache that began the moment he left her on Earth finally abated. He held her close, relishing her rounded softness, her sweet scent, and the joy he felt just from having her in his arms.

  Katarina wriggled until he let her climb up beside him on the table instead of hanging awkwardly half on, half off. Neither one of them spoke, words were too simple to express what they felt. He placed a hand on the swell of her abdomen. Zane could sense the infants and felt small thumps against his hand as limbs kicked and stretched. He closed his eyes as the enormity of what he almost lost hit him.

  Katarina’s emotions mirrored his and they turned to each other, content in gentle caresses and quiet lingering kisses. Then Zane cupped Katarina’s breast. Already ample, they now spilled out of his hand. He scraped a thumb over her nipple, and it puckered into a peak, thrusting against the material of her dress.

  Katarina gasped her pleasure and then lifted her mouth away for a moment. "God, how I missed you, Zane!"

  "I missed you, too." Zane gave her a full-wattage grin and guided her hand to his crotch. "In more ways than one." She rolled her eyes, but her grin spoiled the expression. He nuzzled her neck. "Love, I think you’re overdressed for this party." Zane kissed her deeply as his fingers found the hem of the dress.

  She batted at his hand. "Zane! You are in no condition to have sex. You need food and rest first. For heaven's sake, you almost died!"